Patient comfort apparatus and system

Abstract

An apparatus, a system, and a method for thermally comforting a patient include pneumatic, convective device providing thermal treatment for persons or animals, which is adapted for use in combination with a clinical garment such as a hospital gown, robe, bib, and other equivalents. The pneumatic convective device provides convective warming focused or directed primarily on the thorax or body core. The pneumatic convective device includes at least one inlet for being accessed through a clinical garment, a region in distribution with the inlet for distributing a stream of pressurized, thermally treated air, and a permeable member for emitting pressurized, thermally treated air from the distribution region.

The invention claimed is: 
     
       1. A clinical garment, comprising:
 a hospital gown including a body portion adapted to cover a portion of a patient, the body portion having an inner surface and an outer surface; 
 a pneumatic convective device mounted to the inner surface and having at least one inlet positioned proximate the inner surface, at least part of the pneumatic convective device being permeable to air; and 
 one or more openings in the body portion for access to the inlet of the pneumatic convective device, 
 wherein the pneumatic convective device includes an inflatable portion, 
 wherein the inflatable portion includes a distribution region in communication with the at least one inlet for distributing a stream of the pressurized air. 
 
     
     
       2. The clinical garment of  claim 1 , wherein the body portion is constructed in. one piece. 
     
     
       3. The clinical garment of  claim 1 , wherein the one or more openings are slits. 
     
     
       4. The clinical garment of  claim 1 , wherein the one or more openings include flaps. 
     
     
       5. The clinical garment of  claim 1 , further including an attachment mechanism for acting between the inner surface and the pneumatic convective device. 
     
     
       6. The clinical garment of  claim 5 , wherein the attachment mechanism is selected from the group consisting of double-sided adhesive, hook and loop elements, sewing, snaps, a gluing process, a heating process, an ultrasonic process, and rivets. 
     
     
       7. The clinical garment of  claim 1 , wherein the body portion further includes sleeves sized and positioned for receiving a patient's arms. 
     
     
       8. The clinical garment of  claim 7 , wherein the sleeves include slits and fastening devices near each slit for attaching opposing sides of the slit. 
     
     
       9. The clinical garment of  claim 8 , wherein the fastening devices are selected from the group consisting of buttons, string, snaps, reposition able adhesive, hook and eye elements, double-sided adhesive, hook and loop elements, and rivets. 
     
     
       10. The clinical garment of  claim 1 , wherein the body portion further includes a neck opening and a bottom hemline, a rear slit extending from the neck opening to the hemline and fastening devices near the slit for attaching opposing sides of the slit. 
     
     
       11. The clinical garment of  claim 10 , wherein the fastening devices are selected from the group consisting of strings, hook and eye elements, double-sided adhesive, hook and loop elements, snaps, and rivets. 
     
     
       12. The clinical garment of  claim 1 , wherein the permeable region emits pressurized air away from the clinical garment. 
     
     
       13. The clinical garment of  claim 1 , wherein the distribution region includes a first sheet and a second sheet sealed together continuously about a periphery. 
     
     
       14. The clinical garment of  claim 13 , wherein the permeable region is a portion of the first sheet. 
     
     
       15. The clinical garment of  claim 13 , wherein the at least one inlet is located in the second sheet. 
     
     
       16. The clinical garment of  claim 13 , wherein the distribution region further includes attachment between the first and second sheets at multiple locations within the periphery. 
     
     
       17. The clinical garment of  claim 13 , wherein the first and second sheets have projections and the at least one inlet is located in the projections. 
     
     
       18. The clinical garment of  claim 17 , wherein the projections are sized to extend through an opening in the hospital gown. 
     
     
       19. The clinical garment of  claim 13 , wherein the at least one inlet is an opening along an upper portion of the periphery. 
     
     
       20. A patient comfort system, comprising:
 a pneumatic convective device having at least one inlet port in communication with a distribution region for receiving a stream of pressurized air and a permeable member for emitting pressurized air from the distribution region; 
 a hospital gown having a body portion with an inner surface and an outer surface, the pneumatic convective device being mounted on the inner surface; 
 an access opening through the hospital gown aligned with the inlet port; 
 a warming unit for providing the stream of pressurized air to the pneumatic convective device; and 
 an air hose for connecting the warming unit to the at least one inlet port through the access opening. 
 
     
     
       21. A method to comfort a patient by warming with a combination including a hospital gown and a pneumatic convective device disposed on an inner surface of the gown, including:
 clothing a patient with the hospital gown such that a permeable region of the pneumatic convective device faces the patient; 
 coupling an air hose to an inlet port of the pneumatic convective device through an access opening in the hospital gown; 
 inflating the pneumatic convective device with a stream of warmed air flowing in the air hose; and, 
 controlling the temperature and airflow velocity of the warmed air such that airflow exiting the permeable region of the pneumatic convective device has a velocity of less than 15 cubic feet per minute and a temperature of less than 105° F.